Sam Howell DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said the team doesn't plan on playing backup quarterback Sam Howell in their Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams. The Seahawks were eliminated from postseason contention in Week 17, but it sounds as though they plan to play all of their starters this weekend to close out the season. Howell has played only 25 offensive snaps in his first year in Seattle and didn't look particularly confident in the rare instances he got into a game this year. Despite dealing with a nagging knee injury of late, the 34-year-old Geno Smith should start and play all of the Week 18 game, lining him up as a QB1 option this week with so many starters across the league being rested in the season finale. Smith enters Week 18 as the QB13 in overall fantasy points with 4,097 passing yards, 17 TDs and 15 interceptions in 16 games.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell went 11-for-14 for 153 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's loss to the Tennessee Titans. Howell looked shaky early on as the Titans blitzed aggressively out of the gate resulting in back-to-back three-and-outs. Howell actually fumbled while being sacked on the second drive but had the good fortune that a teammate was in position to fall on the ball. Howell recovered well on the team's third possession resulting in a touchdown to Easop Winston Jr. This was Howell's second start in as many preseason games for the Seahawks. Geno Smith (hip/knee) returned to practice last week and carried no designation coming into Saturday but ultimately sat. Howell will be backing up Smith to start the season but it was an encouraging effort after the early miscues.

Quarterback Sam Howell enjoyed a win in his debut with the Seahawks on Saturday. Howell went 16-for-27 for 130 yards and a touchdown as a passer in Seattle's 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. He also gained 17 yards on four rushes. The Chargers' aggressive pass rush kept pressure on Howell throughout the game resulting in several throwaways and broken plays. Howell's first score in a Seahawk uniform was a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brady Russell early in the second quarter. The former Washington Commander came to Seattle via trade in the offseason to back up veteran Geno Smith, who was held out of the preseason game as a precaution. Howell will next be in action when Seattle takes on the Tennessee Titans on August 17.